Klec je vedle stolu.

• klec = cage
• je = is
• vedle = next to / beside
• stolu = of the table, but in natural English the whole phrase means next to the table

So the sentence is built very literally as Cage is next to table.

Because vedle requires the genitive case.

The basic dictionary form is stůl = table.
After vedle (next to / beside), it changes to the genitive singular:

• stůl → stolu

So:

• vedle stolu = next to the table

This is one of the most important things to notice in the sentence: Czech prepositions often force a particular case.

In standard Czech, vedle is normally used with the genitive.

Examples:

• vedle stolu = next to the table
• vedle domu = next to the house
• vedle školy = next to the school

So if you learn vedle, it is a good idea to learn it together with the case it governs: vedle + genitive.

In normal Czech sentences, je is usually needed here.

• Klec je vedle stolu. = correct, normal sentence

Unlike some other Slavic languages, Czech normally keeps the present-tense form of být (to be) in sentences like this.

You may sometimes see omission in very informal styles, notes, headlines, or certain expressions, but for a learner, the safe rule is:

• noun + je + place/expression

Yes. Czech word order is flexible.

These are all possible:

• Klec je vedle stolu.
• Vedle stolu je klec.

Both are correct, but the emphasis changes a little.

• Klec je vedle stolu. focuses more naturally on the cage
• Vedle stolu je klec. focuses more on the location, or sounds like you are introducing what is there

So the original sentence is a neutral, natural way to say it.

A simple pronunciation guide:

• klec ≈ klets
• je ≈ ye
• vedle ≈ VED-le
• stolu ≈ STO-loo

Very roughly:

• Klec je vedle stolu ≈ klets ye VED-le STO-loo

A few notes:

• Czech c is pronounced like ts
• Czech j is pronounced like English y
• Stress is usually on the first syllable of each word

Because Czech does not have articles like a or the.

So:

• klec can mean a cage or the cage
• stůl / stolu can mean a table or the table

You understand which one is meant from context. In this sentence, English would usually say The cage is next to the table, but Czech does not need separate words for the.

• klec is feminine
• stůl is masculine inanimate

It does matter in Czech grammar, but in this particular sentence you do not see much agreement because there is no adjective attached to klec or stůl.

You mainly notice gender later in forms like adjectives and pronouns, for example:

• malá klec = small cage
• velký stůl = big table

So gender is important, even if the sentence itself looks simple.

Not exactly.

• vedle = next to / right beside
• u = by / at / near
• blízko = near / close to

So vedle stolu suggests the cage is directly beside the table, not just somewhere nearby.

Compare:

• Klec je vedle stolu. = The cage is next to the table.
• Klec je u stolu. = The cage is by the table.
• Klec je blízko stolu. = The cage is near the table.

Usually stůl means table, but depending on context it can sometimes also refer to a desk.

So yes, in some situations English might translate it as desk, especially if the object is a work table or writing desk. But the most basic meaning to learn is:

• stůl = table

A very useful pattern is:

• [thing] + je + vedle + [genitive noun]

Examples:

• Kniha je vedle lampy. = The book is next to the lamp.
• Pes je vedle dveří. = The dog is next to the door.
• Židle je vedle stolu. = The chair is next to the table.

So the sentence is a great model for making simple location statements in Czech.